


Babysitter's Beach

by Theonewhosawitall



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Babysitting, Bickering, Day At The Beach, Fear, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Kid Fic, Ocean, Parenthood, Pre-Slash, Protective Danny "Danno" Williams, Steve McGarrett with a baby, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:28:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29033940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theonewhosawitall/pseuds/Theonewhosawitall
Summary: Rachel needs a babysitter for Charlie and Steve is a sucker for a sob story and just because the baby isn't actually his doesn't mean Danny's just going to let him suffer Steve alone.So, BEACH DAY!
Relationships: Charles "Charlie" Williams Edwards & Danny "Danno" Williams, Steve McGarrett & Charles "Charlie" Williams Edwards, Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Comments: 9
Kudos: 74





	Babysitter's Beach

**Author's Note:**

> Ive been watching the mandalorian. I have no idea how it inspired this but i know it did. I guess I justed wanted a baby to reach for Steve like that. I literally wrote it in one night and now its 5 am though so I hope you like it.

Charlie was afraid of the ocean. Or, not so much afraid, as distrustful of it. Steve sat him down on the sand in his tiny little shark covered swimming trunks while he dug in his bag to find the boys hat and the water came straight up to them. Charlie squealed in alarm. He reached a pudgy arm out towards Steve for help. Steve looked down in surprise.

"What? What happened? What's wrong?"

Steve asked him as though Charlie had any ability to reply. He was two. He had barely learned to walk by himself. He couldn’t talk at all. But he did look alarmed. Charlie whined again as he stared out at the sea. Steve glanced down. He watched a wave break and roll across the sand towards Charlie's bare toes. Charlie whined and gripped Steve's sleeve harder.

"You're okay little man, I promise," Steve assured him, holding in a laugh.

Charlie yelled a high pitched protest. Steve knew when he was beaten. He sat down on the sand behind Charlie, lifted him up, and set him in his lap. Safe behind the barrier, Charlie's hands laid on Steve's leg. He peered over at the water, fascinated. When it came too close his head smacked back against Steve's chest.

"You're just like Danno y’know. He's scared of the sea too. But it's not scary, I promise, it's just water," Steve explained.

Charlie looked up at him, eyes wide and mouth gaping. The boy had no idea what he was saying, but the fact he was speaking at all was enough. Steve smiled wider and nodded slowly.

"Uh huh," he grinned, encouragingly, "it's not scary. Danno's just silly. You know Danno. He's the short grumpy man, looks like this."

Steve laid his hand on top of is head, pretending it was Danny's quiff, and pulled a grumpy face. Charlie giggled. It sounded like musical bells and lifted Steve's heart. He beamed back.

Honestly he hadn't been expecting much from today. It was his one day off in three weeks. Grace had school, Stan was away, and Rachel was desperate for a babysitter. Danny had called him a sap. In many ways Steve agreed. He was a sucker for a sob story, even from her. Danny had made it evidently clear that he would not be around to bail him out when this inevitably went wrong. But right now, sitting on this beach with the baby in his lap, Steve wasn’t convinced anything would.

"We should put a hat on you y'know. Don't want you getting heat stroke," Steve muttered.

Charlie protested to Steve pulling his hat on. It was a cute little sunhat with a floppy brim that fell over his bright blue eyes. It had a shark fin arched out of the top, little flippers on each side, and a big cheesy shark grin on the front. Steve rather liked it.

"I see Rachel - Mommy, went for a theme," he joked.

Charlie responded by smacking his hands on top of his forehead to yank his hat off.

"Hey!" Steve laughed.

He picked it up off of the sand and pulled it back down onto Charlie's head. The boy yelled in complaint. He pulled it off again. Steve hummed thoughtfully. Then he smirked.

"Okay fine. If you don’t wanna wear it-" he tried to take it back but Charlie clutched tighter a hold, "let go man."

Charlie's hand slipped away but he squeaked grumpily at Steve for it. Steve picked up the hand, shook the sand off of it, and pulled it onto his own head. In doing so he discovered that it also had a flat tail that fell down across the back of his head to cover his neck and shoulders.

It was far too small, but he could balance it on his head as he looked down at Charlie. Charlie squeaked with laughter at him. He laughed so hard that he toppled backwards over Steve's leg and into the sand. Steve scooped him back up.

"Oh you've got sandy hair now! This would never have happened if you just wore your hat," Steve tutted.

He tried tackling it back onto Charlie's head but he dragged it off again. It happened twice more before Steve decided that it wasn’t worth trying. Instead he slathered extra sun cream onto him. Charlie yelled and wrestled to get away as he did.

Steve scowled in frustration as he tried to hold the boy still for long enough to rub it in. Now was sticky and the sand was clinging to that, and Charlie hated it. He made that well known.

"Alright well if you’re going to complain about that anyway you can wear the hat too. There. How about that?" Steve huffed.

Charlie was wriggling across his lap to try and get away, covered in sunscreen and sand, with a hat falling over his eyes. As he wriggled, Steve shifted to try and catch him again. Charlie shifted, and a wave lapped at his toes. He screamed in surprise before falling silent. Steve's heart beat faster as he snatched Charlie back into his lap.

"What?! What did you do, what happened?!"

Steve snatched Charlie's hat off and threw it aside as he checked the boy over for any signs of injury. He couldn't find any. The panic in him still wouldn't be eased. Not until he heard snickering from behind him.

"Typical. You've been alone with him ten minute and now he's traumatised."

"Danny!" Steve gasped in relief, "I-I don’t know what happened, he just went all quiet is he okay?!"

"Let's see," Danny said. He grunted as he knelt down beside Steve and reached out to Charlie. "Hey little guy, what's this mean old Neanderthal done to you huh?"

Steve held Charlie up to Danny as Danny examined him. Danny didn’t dare touch the kid. He didn’t need to either. By the way that Charlie kept struggling to stare at the ocean instead of him gave him an idea if what had happened. But that flicker of terror in Steve's eyes was adorable. Danny had never seen him so panicked. Like a first time father. The stabbing pain that came with that realisation hurt more than he cared to admit.

"He's fine. My guess is he wasn’t expecting the ocean to get him," Danny assured him.

"That's it? He doesn’t like the water?" Steve asked, surprised.

Charlie whimpered and tried to crawl into Steve's shirt as the waves rolled across to them again. Danny swallowed, trying to pretend that it didn’t hurt to see.

"Looks that way."

Steve groaned in relief as he cradled Charlie to his chest. "Oh Charlie! Buddy! Don’t do that to me man, that's terrifying!"

For a moment or two he held Charlie to his chest and Charlie latched onto him, afraid. Steve ran a hand across his head and rocked him gently. Danny moved to sit down more comfortably beside the two of them.

"I thought Rachel would have killed me," Steve admitted.

"If Rachel really cared she'd be here now, not you," Danny scoffed.

Steve gave him a pointed look, gesturing at the kid, and Danny frowned sheepishly. He didn’t apologise though. He wasn’t sorry.

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were all doing raising kids?" Steve said sarcastically.

"I am. I've done my time, I'm not looking for more," Danny stated.

"Then why are you here?" Steve asked sarcastically.

"Well I was sitting in the office thinking about how the only thing you've ever taken care of is a house plant that you threw out when it got irritating-"

"It was a stupid gift, I didn't even want it, I still don’t understand why she thought I would."

"And I figured you cant throw out a baby. So I thought I'd come and y’know, help him survive you."

"Survive me?"

"Yeah."

Steve pursed his lips and nodded thoughtfully. "That’s interesting. Wanna know what I think happened?"

Danny frowned. "What are you talking about, I just told you what happened, that's what happened."

"I think you were sitting in your dark little office, being miserable because I wasn’t around and you missed me-"

"That’s not remotely true-"

"So you thought you’d come down to the beach and pretend you’re this all knowing super dad to make it look like I need you."

"That’s uh, that's insane okay. I’m not that needy and pathetic, first off, and secondly, you did need me. If Charlie kept crying what were you gonna do huh? Chuck him out like a house plant?"

"I would have worked it out eventually. And if I hadn’t, I would have done this."

Steve shook the sand off of the hat again and pulled it onto his head pointedly. Danny arched an eyebrow. Charlie giggled again. Steve grinned. He stuck out his tongue at Danny. It was all Danny could do not to smile back.

"What, you think that proves anything? That you share a sense of humour with a literal toddler huh?" Danny snorted

"You’re just jealous," Steve scoffed.

Danny opened his mouth to retort but his eyes met Charlie's as he gummed at Danny's tie. His chest ached. He swallowed and forced a smile.

"Great hat babe."

"You like it? I'm thinking of getting one for myself," Steve smirked.

Danny bit back a laugh, "Yeah?"

"Yeah, then we could match," Steve nudged Charlie pointedly.

"You'd match someone else’s baby? That's not weird at all," Danny snorted.

"You'd like to match wouldn’t you bud," Steve looked down at the baby and his face fell, "Charlie stop eating sand."

Danny threw his head back to laugh as Steve tried to stop Charlie from scooping up damp sand and shovelling it into his mouth. Charlie yelled in protest as he did.

"He'd rather eat sand than talk to you. Smart kid," Danny sneered.

"Reminds me of -" Steve cut himself off quickly.

Danny arched an eyebrow. "Of?"

Steve swallowed. The trouble was that Charlie _did_ remind Steve of Danny. He had the same look of cautious fascination when put in front of something new that Danny did going into every new case. He had the same grumpy pout and furrowed eyebrows when things didn’t go his way. He was _very_ vocal about his displeasure at everything Steve was doing. They even had the same shade of forget-me-not blue eyes! Steve would know them anywhere. He wasn't about to vocalise the idea, even to Danny, but Rachel had told him he was the father before everything that happened...

"He's got your nose," Steve joked.

"How would you like to be buried alive on this beach?" Danny stated.

"Now who's trying to traumatise kids," Steve smirked.

Danny rolled his eyes. He didn’t have a response, even for his own comfort. It was weird. It wasn't that he wanted more kids - Grace was everything to him and he couldn't imagine being able to love anyone the same way that he loved her - but for some reason when he looked at this particular baby it was like was suckered back in. And seeing this particular baby with that particular goof put strange thoughts in his head. Steve had lifted Charlie up under his armpits and was trying to have a conversation with him face to face.

"We have to wear our hats because heatstroke is a real thing that-" his voice became muffled as Charlie's hands both reached out to cover his mouth, "oh you think that'll stop me telling you about the importance of sun safety? I'll just eat your fingers. Here, watch-"

Charlie squealed with laughter and stamped his feet as Steve sucked his lips over his teeth to gnaw at his fingers. Danny couldn't tell which one of them had a brighter smile. It was almost overwhelming.

"Hey, when you first took Grace to the beach did the sea scare her?" Steve asked.

Danny's eyes widened for a moment as it took longer than usual for the words to process into his brain. "Um, I don't - I don’t actually know, I wasn’t there."

Steve frowned as he moved his leg so that Charlie could pass. "What? What do you mean you weren’t there?"

"Well like you already know I don't like water. So Rachel said she wanted to take Grace to the beach, I said no because it wasn’t safe and I didn’t want our daughter being washed away like-"

Danny's shoulders tensed as the words died in him. He couldn’t bring himself to say his friends name again. It didn't seem fair. Before Steve could try consoling him he cleared his throat and moved on.

"Anyway Rachel took her to the beach while I was at work on a really awful case that ended in a shoot out and I found out because when the hospital called to let her know she told them that she wouldn't be able to make it home before I got discharged..."

"Was it a bad wound?" Steve asked.

"Nah. I’ve had worse. It hurt more that she was going behind my back so my daughter could have fun without me," Danny said.

"Yeah because you on a beach is so much fun," Steve snorted.

"Excuse me for not liking sand! It's microscopic fragments that is literally used to remove layers from things and never leaves anywhere it ends up. Its like non-shiny glitter!" Danny complained.

"Because nobody likes glitter!" Steve snorted again.

"Do you like glitter?" Danny challenged.

"Danny its _glitter._ I don't really have an opinion," Steve argued.

"I'll remember that next time Grace's cheer squad have a rally to decorate," Danny warned.

Steve chuckled and shook his head. His attention was taken away by Charlie giggling again. He nudged Danny so he wouldn't miss what he was seeing.

The kid was wobbly on his feet, but he staggered his way over towards the water, curiously. When the waves rolled out that was fine. When they rolled back in he screamed and ran back towards Steve. The foam chased him across the ran until it retreated. That piqued Charlie's interest. He followed it. It went for his toes. He squealed and ran. It retreated. He giggled.

The third time it retreated Charlie twisted to look back at Steve. He beamed and pointed at the water. He squeaked. Steve grinned back.

"I know right buddy?! Mischievous water! You gonna catch it?" Steve asked.

Charlie turned back, giggling. The water got up to his toes before beginning to run away. Charlie threw his arms in the air, roared like a warrior, and chased it back towards the sea. Steve laughed so warmly that Danny melted.

"That kid's adorable," Steve said.

Danny's eyes were lingering on Steve. Every time Charlie chased the water back, Steve's smile grew. Danny quietly wondered if he had it in him to raise just one more kid. He had no doubt Steve would be besotted with them. Just the imagine of him rocking a baby to sleep at four in the morning as he paced back and forth, exhausted but utterly delighted at the same time...

"You okay man?"

Danny's chest tightened. He hadn’t been aware that he was staring until Steve nudged him. He looked genuinely concerned.

"Yup. Why- why- why wouldn’t I be?" Danny shrugged.

He hoped it sounded casual. Or at least like his heart wasn’t thumping against his chest like a jackhammer. Steve didn't seem convinced.

"I asked if there were any water wings in that bag and you just kind of stared at me," Steve said.

Danny's heart stopped. "Water wings? You want to take that kid _into_ the water?!"

"Yeah, I want to show him that its not scary," Steve said.

"You shouldn't do that. If he's not afraid of it and he goes wandering off alone without water wings he'll drown," Danny warned.

Steve frowned. "I'm not gonna let him wander off alone-"

"I don’t mean now I mean, in the future. When he's better at walking and he can wander off-" Danny began.

"Danny, Danny, stop. Are you suggesting Rachel is a bad mother?" Steve demanded.

Danny frowned, "No! No I’m not saying she’s a bad mother-"

"Good because she's got twice the experience that you do and she carried both of them," Steve stated.

Danny frowned deeper, "What's what supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just that as a parent she's got more experience-" Steve began.

"So I'm a bad dad because I've only got one kid?" Danny demanded.

Steve looked at him in wonder, "Where'd you get that from?! No! No you're the best father I've ever seen, would you chill out? Not everything is a personal attack."

"This one feels personal," Danny grumbled, folding his arms.

"All I mean is that Rachel is a good enough mother that me taking Charlie to play in the sea now should not directly result in him drowning later! Or do _y_ _ou_ just not trust _me_ with kids?" Steve demanded.

"What are you crazy? Of course I trust you with kids, you babysit Grace all the time-"

"Great so what's the problem?"

"I- no problem. There's no problem."

"Great!"

"But I'd feel more comfortable if you didn’t take the toddler out to sea."

Steve scowled at Danny like he was a particularly difficult crossword clue and the answer was on the tip of his tongue but just out of reach. Danny didn’t much care for that look.

"Danny, would you like to come out with us so you can make sure I don't let him go?" Steve asked.

Danny clenched his jaw. If Steve was so determined to go, there was no stopping him. "No. No I'll stay on the sand so if anything happens I can call the coastguard."

Steve's eyes widened but all he could choke out was, "Wow."

"What, that’s sound safety advice-"

"Just wow."

Steve blew up the water wings and then Danny blew them up a little more just to make sure they were definitely going to float. Steve rolled his eyes but said nothing. Charlie was actually pretty okay about the water wings going on. As long as Steve didn’t block his view of the water, Charlie didn’t care what he was up to. Then Steve dropped his hat onto his head and took his hand.

"You wanna see the water out there Charlie? It's nice, I promise. It won't hurt you," Steve promised.

Steve held onto his hand as the two of them walked out into the water. When the water reached his ankles Charlie made a confused protesting sound and Danny grumbled in concern. Charlie latched tighter to Steve’s hand as the waves rocked his knees. He was up to his shins before he was really whining. Danny watched keenly. The knot in his stomach wanted Steve to be done. Charlie clearly didn’t like it. But Steve wasn’t.

He scooped Charlie up, and sat him on his hip.

Charlie clung onto Steve tighter with his arms and his legs as Steve waded out. Charlie was deeply concerned with the water around them. When they got far enough out that the water was lapping at Steve's waistline he stopped. Charlie's feet would have been just under the surface if they weren’t wrapped around Steve, clinging on for dear life.

Danny chewed his lip. Charlie would float if a sudden wave came and Steve accidentally let go, and Danny wasn't fully convinced that Steve would let go if that happened, but that wasn't enough. There was still a risk. A possibility. Danny hated that. He watched Steve hold his hand out so that the smaller waves lapped at his hand. This far out but still close to the shore, none were cresting. Fascinated, Charlie tried to copy. Steve's hand moved back to the boys side to support him.

Danny felt a sting of guilt at his doubts. Of course Steve would keep him safe. Steve was a Hawaiian local who grew up to be a navy SEAL. Few people had more understanding and respect for ocean safety. And he still wasn't scared.

Charlie's giggles were eaten up by the wind, but Steve's grin was so wide Danny could see it from a distance. Steve was a natural with kids.

They waded back in towards the shore and when they reached Steve's shin height, he set Charlie back into the water. It came up to his waist and he shrieked in alarm at the cold. Once again he clung to Steve for support as they walked, but he was giggling again.

"Hey, I need to dry off can you show Charlie how to make a sand castle for a minute?" Steve asked.

Danny's chest tightened again, "What n- no? I don't have anything to make sandcastles with-"

"There’s a bucket right behind you Danno."

"Why can't you watch him?"

"I left my towel in the car I wasn’t intending to go in!"

"The sun will dry you!"

"Why are you here if you don’t you want to spend time with the baby?"

"I-"

Danny racked his brain for an answer he could actually tell Steve.

On the one hand there was, _Even though Rachel says the baby isn't mine, for a good month I thought he was and then I saw him born and now I have a strong attachment that I can't explain to myself let alone anyone else._

On the other there was, _Do you seriously think I'm going to pass up the opportunity to see you either overwhelmed and out of depth for a change or adorable and in control on the beach with a baby like some sexy dad I'd like to-_

"Fine. Come here Charlie, let me try and dig a hole and not get sand all over my shirt at the same time," Danny said, drily.

"Mahalo," Steve stated back.

Steve bent over to hand Danny Charlie. Danny reached up, but he wouldn’t stand. From down here, he had a close up of the water drizzling down Steve's abs right against his face. He swallowed.

"Be quick about it!"

Steve just snorted back and deliberately kicked up a sand cloud as he passed. Danny tensed at the warm dry sand now down his shirt. Charlie giggled.

"No, don’t encourage him. Uncle Steve is a big bad man. A real poo-poo head. Can you say that? Uncle Steve's a poo-poo head? Can you say anything? No? Alright let's show you how to use a shovel."

Danny was more interested in filling the buckets than Charlie was. Charlie was fascinated by the idea of digging. It took him a few tries to stop scraping sand across the surface and start launching clumps into the air, but he giggled madly when he did. Danny just chuckled and shook his head.

"Let's hope gardens are still a thing when you grow up so you end up being a landscaper or something and not a grave digger," Danny said.

Charlie tilted his head all the way back to look at Danny when he spoke. Danny smirked. Those big blue eyes were winning him over, slowly by surely.

"You know who I am yet? I'm Gracie's Danno. You know Gracie yet? Your big sister? Y'know I could have been your Danno too once. Yeah. And I'll tell you something, if I was your Danno, you wouldn't be out here with Uncle Steve, nuh uh. Can you say that? Nuh uh?"

Charlie stared at him blankly as he chewed on bits of sand that had ended up in his mouth. Danny sighed.

"Ah it's not your fault. Grace didn't say her first work till she was two. It was Dan-na. Apparently Rachel calling me Danny and me saying Da-da was confusing."

Charlie made a humming noise like he recognised that Da-da required a response he hadn't learned yet. That made Danny's gut wrench. Stan was clearly pushing da-da as his first word.

"Hey! Look what I got," Steve called.

Danny picked up Charlie and sat him on his lap so he wouldn’t wander off. He looked up to see Steve carrying two ice cream cones and a tub with "Shave Ice" printed across it in colourful letters. He rolled his eyes.

"Oh yay sugar and ice! Just what will keep the baby awake all night," Danny said sarcastically.

"That's mine. This is Charlie's," Steve said.

He sat down beside Danny and held out a Mr Softee whipped ice cream in a soft wafer cone. Charlie gasped eagerly and latched on with both hands. It all went directly into his mouth. And across his chin. And up his nose. Steve grinned. Danny's insides groaned.

"That's not better," he muttered.

Steve ignored him. "And this is for you."

Danny blinked in surprise. "Me? You mean you actually opened up your wallet for little old me?"

"You want it or not?"

"Thank you."

Danny took it with a smile and Steve chuckled to himself. He was so easily manipulated even if he liked to pretend otherwise.

"They were out of salted caramel so I got you coconut and pineapple," Steve lied.

"Steve. Seriously? How many years have we known each other, I hate both those -" Danny's mouth shut as a realisation hit him. Steve's eyes sparkled mischievously. "What is it really?"

"Chocolate chip cookie dough."

"Thank you."

Steve just chuckled again and slung an arm around Danny's shoulders. It didn't stay there because he had shaved ice to eat and he couldn't do that one handed. For the moment that it was there though, Danny's collar felt hotter.

Not long after, Steve's tub was set to one side to melt so he could use his spoon to help Charlie eat his ice cream. The boy kept giving himself brain freeze otherwise. Steve kept pursing his lips at Charlie to show him how to eat from the spoon. Charlie giggled madly and slapped his arms against his legs between bites. Steve chuckled affectionately.

It was slightly odd to Danny. When Grace was young it was usually him taking the time to spoon feed her so that she wouldn't choke on crustless banana sandwiches or custard while Rachel was busy attempting to apologise to their neighbours for the late night crying. They stopped complaining when Danny got fed up and flashed his badge. ("If you’ve got a noise complaint, come directly to me next time!") It just felt strange to see Steve doing so now. But Steve was caring and devoted and he would definitely be an amazing father one day.

It was almost too much for Danny's heart to take.

"Did you know Mr Softee is based in New Jersey?" Danny said, if just to interrupt his own thoughts.

Steve looked up, slightly surprised by the sudden declaration, but there was amusement in his eyes. "Of course it is."

"In England they call it a Mr Whippy. Or a 99," Danny continued.

Steve gave him a bemused smile, "Why?"

Danny wasn't sure if he was asking why he was telling him this, or why it was called a 99 so he chose to answer the later.

"Because it used to cost 99p if you bought it from an ice cream van but now its like one pound fifty. Rachel used to complain about it every time we got ice cream. She could go through two tubs a day when she was pregnant."

Steve pulled a look of consideration as he scooped out the last chunk of ice cream for Charlie. "I could probably do that now and I'm not pregnant."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me."

"That I could eat the ice cream or that I’m not pregnant?"

"Both."

Their laughter was interrupted by an alert on Steve's phone declaring that it was nap time. Charlie disagreed. Deeply. The screaming could be heard all across the beach as Steve struggled to stop Charlie from trying to run away while he tried to put a shirt on him. There was absolutely no chance he was going to stop and have a nap right now. Not with all the sensory issues around. At least that's what Danny said.

"How do we stop sensory overload then?!" Steve huffed impatiently.

"I don’t know! I used to make sure that we had quiet time before nap time when Grace was little but we can't go back in time now!" Danny argued.

"Then how is that helpful?!"

"Can we drive anywhere?"

"How am I meant to get him to the car if he won't even stay here?!"

"Oh! I know!"

"What are you-"

"Just trust me!"

Danny threw Steve's towel over Charlie's head. Charlie was thrown for a second. It was long enough for Danny to scoop him up and cradle him firmly to his chest. Charlie struggled. Danny adjusted the towel to cover his shoulder and Charlie's head at the same time. He started hushing Charlie gently and rubbing circles between his shoulders blades gently. Charlie slowed. He kept struggling slightly, so Danny rocked him too. As he stopped struggling and eased, Danny massaged the back of his head through the towel too.

Steve slowly sat back down on the sand, watching in awe. It took a grand total of five minutes for Danny to take a screaming toddler and ease him into a nap. Now Steve really was glad that Danny was here. He never would have been able to handle this alone. While Danny rocked Charlie to sleep, Steve packed up the bag with everything they had brought. It was all soggy and covered in sand now, but he didn't care.

"You take that, I'll take him," Danny whispered.

Steve just nodded. Danny's smile grew at the sense of wonder in his eyes. The weren't many things he could do that Steve couldn't, and he was deeply proud of this. Steve stayed close as they walked across the sand. Danny cradled Charlie, trying hard not to rock him. He kept the towel over his head to keep the darkness going for a little while longer.

Holding the boy to his chest though, Danny felt a familiar jab of fatherhood. It struck through him every time he felt Charlie's heartbeat against his own chest and when Charlie's fingers gripped his shirt sleepily. By the time they reached Steve's truck, he didn't want to let him go.

Steve dropped the back into the footwell of the passenger seat, underneath the car seat. Danny frowned. Car seats needed to be in the back. Airbags were far too dangerous, especially when the child was sleeping.

"I can take him from here," Steve said, softly.

He reached for Charlie and Danny instinctively turned away to stop him. "It's okay, I’ve got him."

Steve tilted his head. "He has to go in the car seat Danny."

Danny shrugged, "Then I'll take the car seat."

Steve frowned, "But you need to go back to work?"

Danny shook his head. "They've got my number they'll call me if I’m needed."

Steve squinted slightly as he tried to figure out what was going on. It didn’t take long. The way that Danny cradled Charlie so protectively gave it away. Steve held in his smile, even though it almost ached to do so.

Okay so this wasn’t proof that Charlie was really Danny's kid, but it was proof that Danny wasn't as beyond children as he claimed to be. Maybe he was broody. Steve was broody. Maybe he could convince Danny to -

No. One thing as a time. Right now the focus was on Charlie.

"I suppose I could use some help. If you’re really okay with missing work," Steve suggested.

"That plan can run without me, for a while at least. How long can you last without help?" Danny countered.

Steve smirked. "I dunno. Want to come find out?"

Danny pretended to look put out but his eyes were shining. His eyes really gave him away. They were too full of life and emotion, to the point of treachery.

"Give up my time to help you look after a baby that isn’t even mine? You ask a lot of me Steven."

"Well I guess you don’t have-"

"Ill do it but you owe me big time."

Steve clenched his jaw to stop himself laughing. "Beer in the garden after Rachel leaves?"

"And I get to drive him back to your place in my car," Danny added.

Steve folded his arms, like a shrewd negotiator. "We both take your car but I drive."

"And then we pick your truck up later too?" Danny asked sarcastically.

"Deal," Steve grinned.

"No I - ah whatever, deal."

"You drive a hard bargain Danno."

Naptime lasted for a while. By the time Charlie woke up again Rachel was just finishing her day. It was half an hour before she was due back and if they had realised that they wouldn't have spent so long bickering over who had to change the baby's diaper and left it to her. Steve was rather put out when he opened the front door to put the garbage out and found her on the doorstep.

"Was he good?" She asked.

"As gold," Danny nodded.

Rachel lifted the diaper bag onto her shoulder and smiled, "I take it you did all the hard work?"

"Excuse me? I _j_ _ust_ changed him! Doesn’t that count as hard work?" Steve argued.

"What do you want, a medal?" Danny asked drily.

"Some appreciation would be nice," Steve nodded instantly.

Rachel chuckled, even as Charlie tried to tug at her earrings and she had to stop him with her one free hand.

"He actually did pretty well on his own. I think Charlie had fun. He was laughing a lot," Danny said.

"Oh? He usually doesn't laugh when-" Rachel stopped herself.

Danny raised his eyebrows, a little too hopefully. Usually it was one man who made Rachel stop herself like that. The one man she didn’t like to mention in front of Danny. Petty as it was, Danny quite liked the idea of Charlie laughing more for him than he did for Stan. He made a note to ask Grace what made Charlie laugh later. It might take some prodding but she'd tell him eventually.

"Thank you anyway. Are you sure I cant pay you for your time?" Rachel asked Steve.

Danny tilted backwards to face Steve, surprised that he hadn't mentioned any offer of payment. Steve waved a hand dismissively.

"No, it's fine. I enjoyed it," he said.

Danny snorted. Classic Steve. Always helping others just because it made him feel good. Rachel have him a warm smile.

"You're not getting broody are you?" She teased.

Again Danny looked up at Steve, expectantly. Steve straightened up, taking a sharp breath as he went. His smile betrayed him though.

"One day hopefully," he admitted.

Danny felt a sharp sting in his gut. It took him by surprise. Watching Steve play with Charlie all day had gotten Danny thinking about his own stance on children. In his mind, just maybe he could be convinced to have another somehow, if _Steve_ was the one he was partnered with. But actually hearing it out loud, Danny only wanted two kids. His, and... He swallowed that disappointment and forced a smirk.

"Not me. Grace is all I need."

Rachel's smile stayed solid but her eyes changed. "Right."

Her eyes lingered on him for a while as she considered telling him something. Danny glanced at Steve uncertainly. Steve frowned back. Rachel decided against it, and forced her smile wider.

"We'd best be going then. Say bye-bye baby!" She said.

She made Charlie's hand wave and he pulled it back to wave by himself. Danny raised a hand to wave to him.

"Bye Charlie," he called.

"Aloha Kiddo," Steve called.

Charlie waved back, "Lo-ha."

Rachel froze in the doorframe. The men both straightened their backs, suddenly alert. Charlie yawned, oblivious.

"What?" Danny breathed.

"Did he just- did you just say your first word Charlie! Did you say aloha?" Rachel asked urgently.

Charlie blinked at her. Uncertainly he repeated, "Loha."

Both men cried out as Rachel gasped in delight. "Oh my god! You're so clever, who’s such a clever boy!"

Charlie giggled again as Rachel pressed kisses repeatedly into his hair and face. Both Danny and Steve beamed at him, delighted. Rachel practically danced out of the door.

"Aloha Charlie!" Steve called again.

"Aloha!" Danny called too.

Charlie squeaked back, which made their smiles brighter. Steve laughed as he shut the front door behind them.

"Wow. His first word. Is it weird that I'm kind of proud of him? I mean I know he's not mine but I remember when he was born and he was just this little bundle in a blanket and now... wow..."

Danny was still staring out of the door as he felt his lungs strangled by the weight of desire. He wanted to be a dad again. Not just anyones. _Charlies._ He had been there when he was born and he was there for his first word. Stan missed both. And it felt like a hole in his chest that he had no idea how else to fill. That dawning realisation shifted his entire existence.

"Yeah... wow..."


End file.
